Leviticus 21

Leviticus 21:1

D. Conduct of the Priests (Chaps. 21, 22)Chapters 21 and 22, along with 16 and 17, are addressed to Aaron and his sons. 21:1-4 Priests were not to defile themselves by touching the dead . . . except in the case of nearest relatives. Even entering the tent of the dead defiled a person for seven days (Num_19:14). This would disqualify a priest from serving the Lord during that time, so he was forbidden to make himself unclean for any but his nearest relatives. Verse 4 probably means that, because of his high rank, he must not defile himself for any reason except those listed in verses 2 and 3. 21:5-9 Practices of the heathen in defacing their bodies with signs of mourning for the dead were forbidden. The priest was not permitted to marry a woman profaned by harlotry or a divorced . . . woman. However, he could marry a widow. A priest’s daughter who became a harlot was to be burned to death. 21:10-15 A high priest was not permitted to mourn in the customary ways or leave the sanctuary to show honor to the dead. He was to marry an Israelite virgin, and his married life was to be above reproach. 21:16-24 A physical defect barred a man from the service of the priesthood blindness, lameness, facial deformities, a deformed limb, foot or hand injuries, hunchbackedness, dwarfism, defective eyes, itching diseases, scabs, or injured reproductive organs. Any son of Aaron who was defective in any of these ways could share the food of the priests, but he could not actively serve as a priest before the Lord (vv. 22, 23). The holy food was the priests’ share of the peace offerings. The most holy food was their share of other offerings. The priests who offered the sacrifices must be without defect because they portrayed Christ as our unblemished High Priest.